Torpedo-case



(No Model.) W. S. LOWE 8u G. W. VAN RENSSELAER.

TORPEDO CASE. No. 482,060. Patented sept. 6, 1892.I

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

TILLIAM S. LOWE AND GERDON XV. VAN RENSSELAER,OF LIMA, OHIO.

'j ToRPEDo-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,060, dated September 6, 1892. Application tiled lAugust 27. 1891. Serial No. 403,900. (No model.)

Y To all whom, Lt may concern..-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM S. LOWE and GERDON W. VAN RENssELAEE, of Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Cases; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventiomsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in torpedo-cases, more especially for nitro-glycerine torpedoes, such as are used in shooting oil-wells, in which a somewhat flexible casing, usually of waterproof paper, is employed, to the end of reducing the initial cost and that the torpedo is less likely to stick in lowering it into the well and is less liable to explode by rubbing against the walls of the well in its descent..

In order to produce the best effect iu shooting an oil-well, it is necessary to have the explosive in a compact form as near the bottom of thewell as possible, andto this end it is important to use a torpedo as large in diameter as can with safety and with certainty be lowered into the well.

In view of the foregoing we have devised the torpedo-shell illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figures l and 2 are side elevations, portions of the latter being broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 3 is a plan.

A represents, substantially, a tin cup having a bail A and a conical bottom a, with holes a', and a depending open-ended tube a2, all constructed substantially as heretofore. Member B is supposed to be of wood and constitutes the point or bottom of the torpedo-shell, this member being conical at B and having a reduced cylindrical section B2, to which latter the side walls C are attached, and being hollowed out, as at b, so that the explosion of the torpedo will shatter the wooden member to atoms. Preferably two wires or more c connect the tin and wooden members A and B to prevent the possibility of the bottom being disconnected by accident. The side walls C are constructed, preferably, of strong waterproof paper or other flexible material, either made waterproof in the manuffactnring or afterward coated with waterproof material, and such coating may be done before or after the torpedo-shell has been constructed. 'lhe paper is cemented in the cylindrical'forin required, and is cemented or otherwise secured to members A and B. The torpedo-shell thus constructed is afterward Iilled and operated as heretofore. Paper for this purpose is better than tin or other sheet metal heretofore used, and the rubbing of the paper shell in its descent against the walls of the well will not explode any nitro-glycerine that may be adhering to the outside of such paper casing. A torpedo for the purpose is of considerable weight-,and the paper walls, being flexible, will pass obstructions that would stick in an inflexible casing. Hence a larger torpedo can be used than could safely be used where the walls thereof were of metal. Member B could be constructed of tin or other sheet metal; but this would only increase the expense without any benefit accruing, and hence we prefer the wood.

What we claim is- 1. A torpedo-shell the side walls whereof are composed of flexible material and the ends of rigid material and the connecting devices extending from one end to the other and 1ocated within the shell.

2. A torpedo-shell comprising side walls, the bottom located at one end and a perforated cup located at the opposite end,substantially as set forth.

3. In a torpedo-case, the combination, with a cylindricall shell, of a bottom having a coniical lower end and a concaved upper end, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a body portion, of a top provided with a conical inner end having perforations therein and a bottom having a conical outer end and a concaved inner end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of April, 1891.

WILLIAM S. LO\VE. GERDON XV. VAN RENSSEL AER.

Witnesses:

D. J. CABLE. HENRY W. NEFF. 

